Railway switch



p 1929- I I c. E. DOTY ET AL 1,729,034

Filed Oct. 17, 1927 Patented Sept. 24, 1929 umrsn STATES PAT/ENT OFFICE CHARLES E. DorY, orvYonxnns, AND MICHAEL BIMonTE, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAILWAY SWITCH Application filed October 17, 1927; Serial No. 226585.

This invention relatesto railway switches, and more particularly to the securing of the stationary end of a switchpoint so as to permita slight movement thereof to facilitate he required movement of the free end of the switch point,-and to a new track bolt for fastoning the joint bars in desired relation to the switch point. I I v Thestationary'or heelends of switch points are customarily connected to the abutting end of: the fixed rail by angle bars or other joint bars, and in order to permit the switch point to be moved readily by the means now used for that purpose, it has been customary not to bolt the angle bars tightly against the switch point but to leave the nuts on the bolts somewhat loose so as to permit a slight freedom 't' movement of the heel of the switch point. This is not good practice, however, and the object of the present invention is to provide for such desirable slight freedom of movement of the heel end oi the switch point without the necessity of having any loose bolts.

A full understanding of the invention can best be given by a detailed description of a switch point connection and track bolt according to the invention, and such a description will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a track bolt according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the abutting end portions of a fixed rail and a switch point and connecting means according to the invention, sectioned on a horizontal plane; and

Figs. 3 and l are sectional views taken, res 'iectively, on lines 3-3 and l4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 2 shows portions of a fixed rail and of a movable switch rail, or switch point, 11 extending from the end of the fixed rail and connected thereto by means of angle bars 12 and 13 placed one on each side of the rail and switch point. The portions of the angle bars which extend past the end of the fixed rail are secured in the usual manner by bolts 15 extending through holes in the angle bars and in the web of the rail, the nuts on these bolts v being turned down so that the ends of the angle bars are clamped tightly against the rail, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4. The other end of: the angle bars which extend past the end portion ofthe switch point, instead of being clamped tight against this switch rail, are'secured rigidly with relation to each other but spacedslightly away from the rail, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3, by means of special bolts ofthe formshown in Fig. 1. These bolts 20 i are, as shown, threaded on both ends and have a fixed collar 21 most desirably formed integral with the bolt and which is offset from the middle of the bolt toward one end thereof, The thread on theother end of the bolt is extendedto nearthe middle of thejboltand anut 22 a screwed onto this end of the bolt provides an adjustable collar,the" fixed collar21 and this adjustable collar 22 serving to provide relatively adjustable shouldersto cooperate with 0 the nuts 23 and 2,4 screwed on the respective ends of the bolt.

In secnringthe angle bars tothe end of the switch point according to the invention by means of'tlie new bolts, each bolt with the nuts removed is inserted through one of the bolt holes in the web ofthe switch point and the inner nut 22 is screwedon'to the bolt and adj usted to a position in which the distance between the shoulders formed by the outer faces of the collar 21 and nut- 22 is such that the angle bars bearing against these shoulders will be held spaced apart so as to be slightly out of engagement with the switch point. 5 The anglebars having beenlplaced in position, the nuts 23 and 24; are then placed on the bolt and turned down to clamp the angle bars tightly between them and the respective shoulders provided by. the collar 21 and nut 22. The angle bars will th'ustake a position as shownin-Fig. 2 in which they extend at'a slight angle toeach other diverging fromjthe fixed rail end of the bars to the opposite end. The bars will be held rigidly in this position relatively to each other, and being spaced slightly out of engagement with the switch point, the heel end switch point will be permitted toliavethe slight freedomof move ment laterally which is desirable in order to avoid too great resistance to the required shitting movement of the switch point.

All of the two or three or more bolts by which the angle bars are connected to the end of the switch point may be of the new form as shown, or the end bolt only may be of this form, ordinary bolts being used in the other positions, the end bolt then serving to hold the ends of the angle bars spaced. the desired distance apart, and these inner bolts being tightened to any desired degree. Any slight inward bending of the angle bars which may result from the use of ordinary bolts in these inner positions will not result in a too rigid clamping of the end of the switch point so long as the ends of the angle bars are held spaced slightly apart by means of one-of the bolts 20101 by other suitable means.

It is to be understoodthat the invention is not to be limited to the exact embodiment shown, but that it includes changes and modifications within the claims. For example, the spacing bolts need not be of the exact form shown, and other means may be employed for securing the joint bars spaced away from the 7 switch point and permitting slight lateralmovement of the switch point between the joint bars.

What is claimed is:

' 1. In a railway switch, the combination with a fixed rail and a movable switch point, of joint bars connecting the heel end of the switch point to the abutting end of the fixed rail, one joint bar extending on each side of the rail and switch point, fastening means clamping the joint bars against the fixed rail, and tastening means rigidly holding the other end of the joint bars spaced slightly away from the switch point to permit slight lateral movement of the switch point between the joint bars.

2. In a railway switch, the combination with a fixed rail and a movable switch point extending from the end of the fixed rail, of

- joint bars extending one on either side of the adjacent end portions of said rail and switch point'and bolted tight against the rail, and a bolt extending through holes in the joint bars and through a hole in the web of the switch point and having nuts and cooperating shoulders by which the joint bars are rigidly connected and held spaced slightly away from the switch point, whereby the switch point is given a slight freedom of movement laterally.

3. In a railway switch, the combination with a fixed rail and a movable switch point extending from the end of the fixed rail, of

joint bars extending one on either side of the adjacent end port-ions of said rail and switch point and bolted tight against the rail, a spacing member extending between the jointbars through a hole in the web of the switch point by which the joint bars are'held slightly away from the switch point, and means hold- 4. In a railway switch, the combination with a fixed rail and a movable switch point extending from the end ofthe fixed rail, of joint bars extending one on either side of the adjacent end portions of said rail and switch point andbolted tight against the rail, and a bolt extending through holes in the joint bars and through a hole in the web of the switch point, said bolt being threaded at both ends, having a fixed collar near one end and an adjustable collar near the other end, and having a nut on each end tovco-operate with the fixed collar and the adjustable collar respectively to hold the joint bars rigidly connected and set our hands.

, CHARLES E. DOTY.

MICHAEL BIMONTE. 

